Parliamentary debates

Parliamentary debates

Introduction

During the sessions, the Chambers of Parliament work in sittings held in keeping with their Standing Orders. As to the sittings, it must be considered that the Constitution provides for the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate to sit separately, and occasionally in joint sittings.

According to the Standing Orders of the Chambers of Parliament, the proceedings are conducted by the President of the Chamber, or, in his/her absence, by one of the vice-presidents, seconded by two secretaries. The proceedings of the joint sittings are alternatively conducted by the President of the Chamber of Deputies and by the President of the Senate assisted by two secretaries, one each from each Chamber.

Entitled to participate in the sittings, besides deputies and senators, are members or representatives of the Government, diplomats, representatives of the press, radio and television as well as citizens.

In order to discuss the issues inscribed on the agenda, Deputies and Senators take the floor from the rostrum in order of their names entered on the speakers' list. Members of the Government may also take the floor if they ask, regardless of whether they have entered their names on the speakers' list or of the order on it. Speakers must stick to the issues entered into the agenda. If the speaker digresses from the point for which he/she has taken the floor, the president may draw his/her attention, and in case of non-compliance with the instruction, may withdraw the permission to speak. A dialogue between the speaker on the rostrum and people in the hall is prohibite.

Parliamentary debates are recorded on magnetic tape, taken down in shorthand, and published in the Monitorul Oficial (Official Gazette of Romania), except those of secret sittings.

Since february 1996, the minutes of the Chamber of Deputies meetings are loaded into a database.
The minutes of the meetings can be retrieved using the following annual calendars